1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a welding device having a heating device for heating thermoplastic fiber composite material tapes, according to the preamble of the first claim.
2. Discussion of Background
In order to connect together thermoplastic fiber composite material tapes having a thermoplastic matrix and fiber materials, such as carbon or glass fibers, embedded therein, in a continuous process the mutually facing surfaces of the tapes are melted locally at the point where they are led together and the tapes are welded to each other. The thermal energy is in this case concentrated on the point where the tapes are led together. The advance speed and hence the welding speed is, however, relatively low in this case and can be up to 20 mm/s. The time needed in order to heat a thermoplastic fiber tape is proportional to the square of the thickness of the thermoplastic fiber tape, inversely proportional to the thermal conductivity of the thermoplastic matrix and a function of the heat transfer at the surface.